Suspect named in Palm Springs bombing as FBI confirms attack was an 'act of terrorism'
A bomb explosion that destroyed a Californian fertility clinic, killing at least one person, was an "intentional act of terrorism", FBI officials have said.
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The explosion, which took place just before 11am local time in downtown Palm Springs, was felt blocks away and destroyed a slew of businesses, including an American Reproductive Center (ARC).
According to reports, 25-year-old Guy Edward Bartkus has been identified as a suspect in connection with the bombing.
Palm Springs resident Tamara Cash told The Desert Sun newspaper the blast “was so loud it shook me. All I could hear was alarms going off in different buildings.”
“The building just shook, and we go outside and there’s massive cloud smoke,” another local said.
The FBI has identified Guy Edward Bartkus, 25, of 29 Palms as the primary suspect in the #PalmSprings vehicle explosion. The vehicle was a silver Ford Fusion sedan, plate 8HWS848. Please call 1800 CALLFBI with information or upload relevant video/images at https://t.co/CnxyRN1YIv pic.twitter.com/dYAG26xCYY
— FBI Los Angeles (@FBILosAngeles) May 18, 2025
“Crazy explosion. It felt like a bomb went off. ... We went up to the scene, and we saw human remains.”
In a briefing on Saturday, the FBI confirmed the attack was a “deliberate act of terror.”
"This was an intentional act of terrorism. As our investigation will unfold we will determine if it's international terrorism or domestic terrorism," said Akil Davis, the head of the FBI's Los Angeles office.
The FBI later said it had "a person of interest" in its investigation, but officers were "not actively searching" for the suspect.
Bartkus is believed to be a resident of Twentynine Palms, a town around an hour away from Palm Springs, which is home to a large marine base.
An ARC statement read: "We are heavily conducting a complete safety inspection and have confirmed that our operations and sensitive medical areas were not impacted by the blast.”
"I really have no clue what happened," said Dr Maher Abdallah, who runs the clinic.
“Thank God today happened to be a day that we have no patients."
American advocacy group, the Center for Reproductive Rights, described the attack as “unconscionable.”
"The history of violence against reproductive health centers is why clinics need protections and patients must feel safe," the group said in a statement.